GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #67, from Zenescope Entertainment on December 28th, 2022, finds Skye being led to a sacrifice at the hands of Baba Yaga. Meanwhile, Nyarlathotep infiltrates Arcane Acre.
The Details
- Written by: Dave Franchini
- Art by: Babisu Kourtis
- Colors by: Jorge Cortes
- Letters by: Taylor Esposito
- Cover art by: Igor Vitorino (cover A)
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: December 28, 2022
Is It Good?
Okay, yes, this is fine. GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #67 continues the Shang Gang’s adventure as the Old Ones from Lovecraftian lore promise a return to Earth, spelling doom for humanity. Dave Franchini’s script splits the plot into two fronts – one with Baba Yaga leading the charge as a herald/priestess of the Old Ones, and the other with Nyarlathotep (disguised as Skye) infiltrating Arcane Acre. The issue, by and large, works.
The bright spot in Dave Franchini’s script is the unstoppable threat Skye, Shang, and the team appears to face at every turn. A hero’s story works best when they face a villain more powerful than themselves. Here, we don’t get one unstoppable villain but multiple unstoppable villains. At best, our heroes manage to escape or trick the villains into a trap that buys time. By amping up the threat level, Franchini lays the foundation for a killer confrontation.
The down point of this issue isn’t so much a down point as it is a matter of preference. Post-Dark Princess, the series started in a new direction by leaning into Lovecraftian lore for a fresh theme and a fresh take on classic stories. This issue slips back into familiar Grimm Fairy Tales story territory with magic hand blasts and lots of villain monologues. The uniquely Lovecraftian aspects are talked about but are barely present, and this issue feels like a generic Zenescope comic. You could replace any of the referenced Old Ones with Dark Princess or Peter Pan or the Scorpion Queen, and it would read almost exactly the same.
Babisu Kourtis’s art style is serviceable at best. It’s not the worst art we’ve ever seen, and it’s certainly not the best. The panel compositions are solid, but the line work is rough, sketchy, and unpolished. Everyone’s hair looks terrible, facial compositions are sometimes lopsided, and the net result is that of a first draft. Cortes’s coloring helps in a few spots, but on the close-up panels, the coloring, likewise, lacks blending and finish. Again, it’s not the worst art we’ve ever seen, but it’s by no means the best.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
Check out our GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #66 review to find out why there are two Skyes.
We begin with Skye waking up amid the rubble of Tempest Mountain. She’s carried off by one of the winged monsters who attacked the Shang Gang at the beginning of the arc, and now Skye is deposited at the feet of Baba Yaga. Baba is determined to fulfill her role as herald to the Old Ones, who are imminently returning to Earth to destroy it. Skye will be the next of many sacrifices to the Old Ones.
Meanwhile, “Skye” makes herself comfortable in Arcane Acre, talking with Sam and Shang about Tamora’s book. Between Shang and the Three Musketeers, nobody can make sense of the book’s ancient languages, but “Skye” offers to research the book in depth.
We conclude the issue with doors opening and closing, an unveiling, and more doors.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
(Click this link 👇 to order this comic)
GRIMM FAIRY TALES (VOL. 2) #67 reveals the two big villains of the arc and puts the Shang Gang back on the heels. Franchini’s story builds a sense of impending doom, and there’s plenty of action to keep your eyeballs engaged. However, the plot in this issue feels generic, and the art quality is sub-par.
We hope you found this article interesting. Come back for more reviews, previews, and opinions on comics, and don’t forget to follow us on social media:
If you’re interested in this creator’s works, remember to let your Local Comic Shop know to find more of their work for you. They would appreciate the call, and so would we.
Click here to find your Local Comic Shop: www.ComicShopLocator.com
As an Amazon Associate, we earn revenue from qualifying purchases to help fund this site. Links to Blu-Rays, DVDs, Books, Movies, and more contained in this article are affiliate links. Please consider purchasing if you find something interesting, and thank you for your support.